The National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) organized a national conference on Monday at its headquarters to mark the preparations for the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025. Chaired by NCUI President Dileep Sanghani, the event brought together leaders and representatives from national-level cooperative federations and state cooperative unions, both physically and virtually.
The conference saw the participation of key NCUI Governing Council members, including G.H. Amin, Mangaljit Rai, Uday Joshi, Arun Singh Tomar and others. Managing directors of national federations and senior NCUI officials also attended, alongside a significant virtual turnout from federations and unions across India.
In his welcome address, Dileep Sanghani highlighted the significance of the United Nations General Assembly’s declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. He emphasized the theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” which underscores the pivotal role of cooperatives in driving sustainable development across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Sanghani pointed out that cooperatives are integral to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. He outlined key objectives for IYC 2025, including strengthening cooperative institutions, fostering youth participation, and creating an enabling legal and policy framework to enhance the cooperative movement globally.
The event also acknowledged the formal inauguration of IYC 2025 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 25, 2024. During his address, the Prime Minister lauded the cultural and economic importance of cooperation in India, describing it as “a way of life” rather than merely a business model. He called for a human-centric approach to sustainable development and urged the cooperative sector to align with the government’s vision of “Prosperity through Cooperation.”
NCUI President Sanghani reiterated the Prime Minister’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to make cooperation the foundation of national development. He also unveiled NCUI’s comprehensive plan to promote and expand the cooperative movement, encouraging participants to contribute their insights and ideas to achieve the ambitious goals for IYC 2025.
NCUI Chief Executive Sudhir Mahajan shared updates on various initiatives and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) undertaken by NCUI to advance the cooperative sector. He highlighted efforts by the Union Ministry of Cooperation to strengthen the movement and outlined plans to organize seminars and conferences throughout the year to showcase the contributions of cooperatives to socio-economic development.
Executive Director Ved Prakash Setia presented a detailed action plan for celebrating IYC 2025. He elaborated on strategies to maximize the impact of the year-long celebrations, ensuring the cooperative movement gains greater visibility and recognition nationwide.
Participants actively shared their views and suggestions during the conference, contributing to the roadmap for a successful IYC 2025. The event marked a significant milestone in uniting the cooperative sector to celebrate and enhance its contributions to sustainable development in alignment with national and global goals.
